Automated beer-brewing system and method with brew cycle control valve arrangement

ABSTRACT

A automated beer-brewing system and method includes plural brewing containers, supply containers, and post-beer-brewing containers to bottle the brewed beer and to handle waste fluids and solids. Plural pipes couple the brewing containers to the group post-beer-brewing containers and beer-brewing containers. Plural brew-cycle control valves are coupled to each of the pipes, to locate all of the control valves in a central region of the system.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/460,858, filed Feb. 19, 2017 and entitled “AUTOMATED BEER-BREWING SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH BREW CYCLE CONTROL VALVE ARRANGEMENT”, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The application concerns automated beer-brewing systems.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An automated beer-brewing system includes multiple brewing containers, also referred to as tanks, vessels or kettles, with pipes coupled to the vessels and communicating with each container's corresponding inner cavity. Certain pipes are coupled to a top region of the container to allow for beer-brewing fluid ingredients to be added to the container. Other pipes are coupled to a bottom region of the container to allow for brewed beer, beer-brewing fluid ingredients, and waste fluids and solids to be dispensed from the container.

The automated system includes multiple brewing containers that have a generally vertical configuration, supply containers of beer-brewing fluid ingredients, and post-beer-brewing containers for use in ultimately bottling beer, or handling waste fluids and solids. Plural pipes are coupled to top and bottom regions of each brewing container. The pipes couple each brewing container to: (i) one or more supply containers; (ii) one or more post-beer-brewing containers; or (iii) one or more other beer-brewing containers.

Referring collectively to the Attachments A-H, one version of the automated beer brewing system shows a version with two brewing containers, and corresponding pipes connecting the containers to each other and, by fragmentary illustration, to the supply and post-beer-brewing containers. The supply and post-beer-brewing containers are not shown in the Attachments. Pipes that lead to them are shown in fragmentary views with the pipe fragments showing connections to the beer brewing containers, and then extending from them without showing the remainder of the pipes that terminate into the supply or post-beer-brewing containers.

The Attachments also show a central brew-control stand with a brew-cycle control valve arrangement. That stand and arrangement allows an operator, shown in Attachment B, to control the beer-brewing system by manually operating brew-cycle control valves that are coupled to each of the pipes. The operator can actuate the valves from open to closed positions to allow fluid to flow through the corresponding pipe or to be prevented from flowing. This allows the operator to control operation of the beer-brewing system during a typical brew cycle.

The Attachments show a beer-brewing system with two beer-brewing containers, but the system could involve any desired number of those containers, such as three, four or five of them. In addition, the brew-cycle control valve arrangement is depicted with five valves for each beer-brewing container, but could be designed for any desired number of control valves, such as three or four of them, or any desired number.

In conventional beer breweries, process control valves, i.e., valves that control the flow of fluids during the brewing process, are found in two basic configurations. A first one is in fully automated breweries, also called brewhouses, where there is a remote control interface located in a control room away from the beer-brewing containers. Fully automated systems are expensive and typically found on very large systems. A second one is in brewhouses that are either manual or partially automated. In those configurations, manual valves are located in multiple locations throughout the brewhouse, which requires the operator to move away from the various brewing tanks to actuate the valves.

The automated beer-brewing system shown in the Attachments and described above is not fully automated, but involves moving the control valves to a central region, referred to herein as a brew-control stand, where an operator can control all brew-cycle control valves from one place. This is important because of the dynamic nature of brewing where the brewer must be close to the brewing containers throughout the beer-brewing process.

The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but such omissions and substitutions are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. 

What is claimed:
 1. A automated beer-brewing system, comprising: plural brewing containers, each having a generally vertical configuration; supply containers of beer-brewing fluid ingredients; post-beer-brewing containers for use in bottling the brewed beer and in handling waste fluids and solids; plural pipes, coupled to top and bottom regions of each brewing container, with the pipes couples each brewing container to the group consisting of one or more supply containers, one or more post-beer-brewing containers, and one or more other beer-brewing containers; plural brew-cycle control valves that are coupled to each of the pipes, wherein all of the control valves are located in a central region of the system, thereby allowing the operator to control all brew-cycle control valves from one location.
 2. A method for automating the beer brewing process, comprising: using a beer-brewing system with plural brewing containers, supply containers of beer-brewing fluid ingredients, post-beer-brewing containers for use in bottling the brewed beer and in handling waste fluids and solids, and plural pipes coupling each brewing container to the group consisting of one or more supply containers, one or more post-beer-brewing containers, and one or more other beer-brewing containers; connecting control valves to each of the pipes; locating the control valves located in a central region of the beer-brewing system, thereby allowing an operator to control all brew-cycle control valves from one location. 